HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-06-24 SpecialMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA
JUNE 24, 2005
CALLED TO ORDER BOWERS MUSEUM, FLUOR GALLERY
2002 N. MAIN STREET
SANTA ANA, CAI FORNIA
9:01 A.M.
ATTENDANCE Councilmembers present:
MIGUEL PULIDO, Mayor
LISA BIST, Mayor Pro Tem
CLAUDIA ALVAREZ (9:46 A.M.)
CARLOS BUSTAMANTE
MIKE GARCIA
JOSE SOLORIO
Councilmembers absent:
ALBERTA CHRISTY
Staff present:
DAVID N. REAM, City Manager
BENJAMIN KAUFMAN, Chief Assistant City
Attorney
PATRICIA E. HEALY, Clerk of the Council
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE MAYOR PULIDO
PUBLIC COMMENTS None
WORK STUDY SESSION
WS.A. CITYWIDE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES DISCUSSION — Presented by
Steve Harding, Deputy City Manager for Development Services and Jay
Trevino, Executive Director of Planning and Building Agency and Steve
Harding, Deputy City Manager for Development Services; the session was
facilitated by Steve PonTell.
The City Council received a presentation on current development -related
issues facing the City and discussed the City's development priorities,
policies, standards and processes. The City Council also provided staff
with policy direction in order to prioritize work efforts.
Highlights of the work study session include the following:
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 232 JUNE 24, 2005
WORK STUDY SESSION
• Five issues/challenges were identified by the facilitator that indicate
smart or frustrated communities: Knowledge, Vision, People,
Infrastructure and Quality
• Councilmembers identified the biggest successes within the last year
in Santa Ana:
o New development projects within the City
o Passage of Measure A at the Special election on April 5, 2005
(One Broadway Plaza)
o Nexus development project
• Councilmembers identified the biggest failures of the last year:
o Effect of heavy rains on City streets
o Postponement of light rail
o Budget restraints
D Strengths identified by the Council included:
o Urban location
o Sense of identity as the historic center of Orange County
o Climate
o Freeway accessibility
o Willingness to talk about future
Weaknesses observed by the Council included:
o Geographic constraints
o Negative image/perception challenge
o Aging infrastructure
o Poverty
o Need to market City's successes
The Council noted that the greatest opportunities for the City include:
o Opportunity to grow as the urban center of Orange County
o Returning to the City's history as the cosmopolitan center
o Development and redevelopment
o Bringing art, culture and education to the forefront
Constraints the City must face include:
o Lack of funding for infrastructure
o Media emphasis on negative aspects (mainly crime)
o Lack of education/ improving the quality of education
Priorities identified by Councilmembers for City Staff this year include:
o Improving communication between departments and with the
City Council
o Finding funding sources for a comprehensive General Plan
update
o Increasing staffing levels
o Facilitate construction of projects recently approved by Council
Councilmembers requested that staff take the necessary steps to align
policy documents with priorities identified by the Council
The Council requested that staff reevaluate the development review
process and compare it to other cities in order to make it more efficient
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 233 JUNE 24, 2005
WORK STUDY SESSION
• Councilmembers noted that the City should plan for new trends in
development
• Councilmembers encouraged encouraged greater staff discretion,
consistent with the City Council's vision for high quality projects and
that comply with development standards. City management to give
staff more discretion on applying development standards within the
North Harbor Specific Plan as long the quality and vision are good
• The City Council asked staff to explore the possibility of creating an
expedited development process for strategic and priority projects. with
a core development review team
The City Council recessed at 12:00 P.M. and reconvened at 1:08 P.M. with
the same Members present. Council discussion continued with emphasis on
the identification of priority focus areas. Three priority areas were identified:
• Santa Ana Boulevard (expand boundary of Specific Plan to Grand
Avenue and include Downtown and Logan Neighborhood)
• North Main Street/Triangle Neighborhood/Main Place
• East Vt and 4th Street Corridor (expanded to Tustin Avenue and
developed with iconic buildings similar and compleimentary to the
Xerox Tower.
• Additional focus areas identified by the Council included:
o Tthe 55 Freeway corridor, with emphasis on higher intensity of
development density
o The Santa Ana River area
o South Grand Avenue Design District
o Midtown
The Council asked Planning and Building Agency staff to prepare a
report for City Council review summarizing the key policy decisions made
by the City Council during the Work Study session.
ADJOURNMENT — 4:00 P.M.
,r
Patricia E. Healy 1
Clerk of the Council
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 234 JUNE 24, 2005